The invention pertains to a seed coating compositions and more particularly to a seed coating composition comprising a certain latex binder and/or certain graft polymer dispersant.
Seeds are often treated to reduce yield losses during cultivation and for enhancing the agronomic and nutritional value of the produce. Such treating agents are for example fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, nematocides, miticides or bird repellents. Furthermore, many varieties of genetically altered crops are coming to the market. Treated and/or genetically modified seeds must be marked in order to distinguish them from the untreated and unmodified seeds. The marking of seeds is particularly beneficial for farmers who then can easily distinguish the chemically treated and modified seeds for plantings from e.g. cereal grains for consumption.
Various seed coating ingredients therefore, have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,417 discloses a seed coating composition comprising a binding agent selected from the class of vinyl acrylic emulsions, partially hydrolyzed copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl acetates, drying oil modified polyurethanes, vinyl toluene copolymer modified drying oils, 23 percent penta soya oil alkyd, pinene polymer hydrocarbon resins, chain stopped alkyds, chlorinated rubber, epoxy esters, acrylics, modified polyacrylamides, self-curing carboxylated styrene butadiene latex, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, poly (methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride), vinyl pyrrolidone/dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate copolymer, and vinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,320 discloses an insecticidal coating for a seed comprising one or more binders selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of polyvinyl acetate, methyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, vinylidene chloride, acrylic, cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone and polysaccharide and an insecticidally effective amount of an insecticide, wherein the binder forms a matrix for the insecticide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,343 discloses compositions for coating plant seeds comprising a water insoluble polymeric microgel that provides protection for the seeds from mechanical and environmental damages and that may be used as a carrier for materials such as fertilizers, herbicide, pesticides and so forth. Useful monomers for the production of microgels by addition polymerization include acrylic acid; methacrylic acid; hydroxy esters, amino substituted esters and amides of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and maleic acid; vinylpyridine and derivatives of vinyl pyridine such as 2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,807 discloses a composition for treating seeds comprising an aqueous emulsion of a substantially water-soluble neutralized copolymer of an α,β-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid and a lower alkyl acrylate and a crosslinked copolymer of vinyl acetate and a lower alkyl acrylate.
U.S. Patent Publication 2003/0221365 discloses pigment forms and pigment concentrates which can be effectively used for seed coloring.
Seed coating compositions and ingredients are also available commercially from, for example, Becker Underwood (Ames, Iowa) under the SEEDKARE® tradename, Uniqema (New Castle, Del.) under the Atlox™ Semkote tradename, International Specialty Rroducts (Wayne N.J.) under the Agrimer® tradename and Celanese Corp. (Dallas Tex.) under the Celvol® tradename.
There is still a need for, and it is an objective of this invention to provide, seed coating compositions that impart good color to treated seeds, that resist attrition and dust formation on handling and that are non-sticky and allow smooth flow of coated seed in planting equipment.